1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tray. More particularly, the present invention relates to a tray for suspending from the neck, immediately below the chin, and for minimizing dribbling, dropping, and spilling of food, without the use of hands.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous innovations for combination bibs and trays have been provided in the prior art that will be described. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they differ from the present invention.
A FIRST EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 323,435 to Palacios teaches the ornamental design for a combined lap tray and bib.
A SECOND EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 325,115 to Vassar, Sr. teaches the ornamental design for a combination bib and lap tray.
A THIRD EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 3,822,473 to Jones teaches a bib for a bit registration tray that has a paste supporting strip of soft, flexible, open mesh material, its lateral margins embedded in resilient snap fastening channels of set plastic material. Embedding of the margins is effected during molding of the channels. The channels are coextensive in length with the strip and each ha a restricted entry passage with guide walls flaring outwardly from the passage, so that the channels can be snapped easily onto laterally spaced wire frame members, respectively, of a bit registration tray in a direction radially of the frame members for holding the strip in bridging relation to the space between the wire frame members. The channels are of such resiliency and the strip is so connected thereto that the strip can be adjusted for slack or tensioned condition by rotating one or both of the channels about the axes of the frame members, respectively. The gripping power of the channels is such that, coupled with the lengthwise curvature of the frame members and resilient warpage of the channels, the channels remain in the adjusted position to which they have been rotated, and thus retain the strip with the selected degree of slackness or tension. The bibs are produced in multiple by a new method.
A FOURTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,114,199 to Malan teaches a bib-tray structure for use during the feeding of an infant that is fabricated from suitable stiff and tear resistant thin sheet material such as paper cut and folded so as to comprise a bib portion, a tray portion, and an interconnecting transition region having accordion folds adapted to provide adjustability of height of the structure. The bib portion contains neck straps which are adjustably interengageable. The tray portion contains borders which permit facile assembly of a serving surface bounded by retaining walls.
A FIFTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,985,932 to Bezdek teaches an improved food spill catching device with folded straps mounted in a tray portion for attaching the device around the neck of a person is described. The device is preferably provided by forming the straps and trays separately as preforms which are then assembled and formed into the device.
A SIXTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,159 to Zemke, Jr. teaches a tray-bib that has a tray portion covering a wearer's lap and a bib portion covering a wearer's chest and stomach. The tray forms a cavity with a bottom, sides, and ends. The bib portion tears along perforations and folds up from a top portion of the tray to direct spillage into the tray. The bib portion also has a collar portion which fits around the neck of the wearer to support the bib. The sides and ends retain the spilled debris in the tray so that it does not spill onto the seat or wearer's lap.
A SEVENTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,062,558 to Stang teaches a food tray and bib system which is adapted to be removably coupled to the neck of a user's body. The food tray and bib system includes a flexibly collapsible housing and bib assembly having a deformable cavity for receipt of a tray assembly. Housing and bib assembly includes a rear wall having a lower portion defining a rear wall of the deformable cavity, and an upper portion extending longitudinally from deformable cavity a predetermined distance to define a bib-like structure. Upper portion of rear wall includes an arcuate cut-out portion whose perimeter is defined by a pair of strap members of alternately a through opening may be provided for releasable coupling to the neck of the user's body. The forward portion of deformable cavity is structurally supported by an angular portion integrally formed in each side wall extending from an upper portion of rear wall to a forward perimeter portion of deformable cavity. Tray assembly is formed in a parallel-piped contour and includes a plurality of corner posts for establishing the contour of deformable cavity, subsequent to insertion of tray assembly therein.
A EIGHTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,459,877 to Roberti teaches a multi-purpose bib comprised of material and being generally in rectangular form having first and second long edges, first and second short edges, and a first surface and a second surface. One of the long edges of the bib has a neck cut-out portion. An elongated fastener is secured on the first surface, disposed horizontally to a long edge, and located near the corner formed by the intersection of the first long edge and the first short edge. Another elongated fastener is secured to the second surface, disposed horizontally to a long edge, and located near the corner formed by intersection of the second long edge and the first short edge. The two elongated fasteners are releasably securable to each other by hook and loop fasteners and when secured to each other form a cup portion. The material may be water resistant and washable, and there is a means for securing the neck cut-out portion to the neck of an adult or infant. The long and short edges may have decorative eyelet trim for aesthetic purposes.
A NINTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,701,605 to Bowen teaches a foldable and reusable bib including a flat relatively stiff sheet having a long axis and a width. The flat sheet includes a transverse fold line, transverse to the long axis and extending across the width of the sheet, thereby dividing the sheet into upper and lower portions. The upper portion is defined by two side edges and a top edge, where the top edge has an arcuate section disposed about the long axis and forming part of an aperture in the flat sheet. The each upper portion side edges slopes and extends from the transverse fold line to the top edge. In another embodiment, the upper portion includes a plurality of angled fold lines proximate each side edge to form a backward folding wing section. Preferably, either bib is made from a recyclable material such as a corrugated paper product.
It is apparent that numerous innovations for combination bibs and trays have been provided in the prior art that are adapted to be used. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.